Just as aircrafts have been used as a weapon or missile to attack or destroy buildings or other large structures, it is envisagable that ships, tankers or watercrafts, harbours, port installations and the like can be destroyed or seriously damaged by the use of tankers or large ships as missiles of attack. This is especially so when such tankers or ships are loaded with inflammable materials, such as fuel oil, inflammable chemicals, etc.
Thus if such a tank or ship is used as a missile, then it is necessary to either stop the travel or change the direction of travel of such sailing vessels, so that collision with the targeted object is avoided. The steering of such errant vessel away from the intended target has to be executed swiftly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,374 discloses a system of tugboats to externally steer and guide a large shipping vessel. This method is disadvantageous in that it is unable to quickly steer a large vessel that is traveling at high speed. The towing cable may snap. In addition it may not be possible to connect the cable to the large vessel, as access to the vessel would be denied.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,591,774 discloses a method and apparatus for protecting ships and harbours from attack by sailing vessels. A barrier, fence or obstruction is constructed around the ships or habour to be defended, either floating on the surface above and or beneath the surface of the water. When a boat attempts to force its way through the barrier, the barrier uses the momentum of the vessel against itself by using the forward momentum of the attacking vessel in such a manner as to divert, impede, stop, damage or destroy the vessel. This system of capturing and/or stopping the vessel is only suitable where the attacking vessel is a small vessel. It is not suitable for arresting large shipping vessels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,128 discloses a device for changing the direction of travel of a watercraft. The device includes a gondola-like underwater housing having a container favourable in terms of flow outside the hull by the watercraft, and is connected to the hull of the watercraft by a shaft. The change in direction of travel of the watercraft is brought about by a pivoting motor acting on the shaft, and the use of high energy fluid jets in the gondola-like structure. The latter is a permanent device attached to the watercraft to enhance steering at low noise.
These methods and the apparatus used are not suitable when the errant sailing vessel is traveling fast and with a large momentum. There is a need for alternate means of providing external steering that will overcome these limitations. There is a need to have a smaller watercraft to steer and change the direction of a large vessel regardless of the actual traveling momentum and rudder position of the vessel. There is a further need to override the command of a hijacked ship and to prevent it from traveling to a danger area in the sea or near the sea ports.
The present invention endeavours to provider a method and apparatus for intercepting and docking with an errant sailing vessel. A further preferable aspect of the invention is to change the direction of sail of the errant vessel.
It is another object of the present invention to alleviate at least one disadvantage associated with the prior art.
Any discussion of documents, devices, acts or knowledge in this specification is included to explain the context of the invention. It should not be taken as an admission that any of the material forms a part of the prior art base or the common general knowledge in the relevant art in Singapore or elsewhere on or before the filing date of the disclosure and claims herein.